Fire hydrant



H. M. LOFTON ov. 5, w35.

FIRE HYDRANT Filed Sept. 5,v 1931 IN VEN TOR.

Herberf M. Lofton.

Patented Nov. 5, .1935

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to fire hydrants and is an improvement upon the construction of hydrant for which Letters Patent No. 1,717,392 was issued to me on June 18, 1.929, and more particularly relates to the lower or main Valve por- .the main valve is in closed position.

In my former patent referred to, the main valve was provided with wing portions which were guided vertically in grooves formed in the seat ring, which wings constituted guiding means permitting vertical reciprocation of the main Valve while holding it .against rotation during the act of opening and closing the same,

In my said former patent referred to, the means for holding the main valve against rotation are the wings moving with the main valve and guided in guide grooves in the seat ring, the said means being' above the main valve and, therefore, objectionable in that they are in the path of the flowing water when the valve is open and in use.

By my present improvements these wings are entirely eliminated and as the guiding means for the main valve and for holding it against rotation are entirely below the main valve, the said improvements are mechanically eifective and ein- 1cient and, at the same time, a clear unobstructed passage from the shoe through the seat ring and into the stock of the hydrant is assured. This location of the means within the shoe and below the line of ilow for holding the main valve against rotation and, at the same time, guiding it Vertically in opening and closing the valve is of great importance, not only because of the compactness and accuracy in guiding and holding the main valve in its movement, but because of the possibility of simplifying the seat ring and removing all objectionable obstructions in the path of flow.

I would further point out that in my patent referred to, the water from the valve stock drained through vthe drainage controlling cylinder and thence discharged to the outside of the hydrant in such a manner that the cupped leather portions of the piston of said cylinder are located above the level of the Water in the cylinder when the main valve is closed, with the result that when said cupped leather is above the water it deteriorates and curls up from being dry. In my present improvements, the mechanism of the hydrant is changed so that when the main valve of the hydrant is closed, drainage water is preserved to a height within the drainage Ycylinder.

suicient to maintain the lower cupped piston leather below the water level, whereby it will always remain submerged under a water seal and thereby be preserved in a, normal condition which can be depended upon for as long as twenty to 5 twenty-five years.

More specically, my improvements consist in providing the main valve with a downwardly extending tubular shaft having a spacing piston portion sliding in a vertical drainage and guiding cylinder, the said downwardly extending tubular shaft having a square or polygonal aperture in cross section arranged for cooperation with an upwardly extending stud of similar square or polygonal cross section, said stud rigidly secured to the bottom of the shoe and received in the square or polygonal shaped aperture in the tubular shaft, whereby the latter together with its piston may be slidably reciprocated in a vertical direction while being prevented through the agency of said stud from rotating during its said vertical reciprocation.

My invention also includes certain features whereby the seat ring when screwed downward into operative position within the upper part of theshoe coacts with an annular gasket of lead or other ductile material in such a manner as to provide a water tight joint and, at the same time, compress the gasket into the recess in the seat ring, whereby the said gasket will retain its position on the seat ring and be removed with it when said seat ring for any purpose is required to be removed.

To these ends the present invention consists in a hydrant which has a shoe, a stock, a main valve normally closing communication between the shoe and stock, and a stern connecting said valve for operating the same, said shoe having an upstanding cylindrical part and a piston operable therein and connected to said main Valve by a tubular shaft, drain passages leading from the stock into the tubular shaft to permit drainage into the cylindrical part and below the piston when the valve is closed, a bottom packing member on 'the piston, means for draining the water from the stock out of the shoe, and means for maintaining drain water in said cylindrical part in contact with the said packing to keep same moist. The cylindrical part may have a bushing and a chamber formed thereby, an opening in y the bushingbelow the bottom of the piston when the main valve is closed and leading into the chamber, said chamber having its upper end above the bottom packing, and a tube leading from said chamber to the outside of the shoe and having its upper end above the bottom packing whereby water is maintained in said bushing in contact with said bottom packing to keep same moist.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the lower part of a re hydrant embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the gasket structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a modification of a construction of the main valve; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 1 of a modified construction of the counter-balanced drain valve.

As the present improvements relate to the*k mechanism which is located within the shoe or angle base at the bottom of the stock and is capable of being operated by various means. arranged at the top of the hydrant for imparting a vertical reciprocating motion, I have not illustrated in this application any particular means for imparting a vertical reciprocation to the valve operating shaft, but will refer to my aforesaid Patent No. 1,717,392 of June 18, 1929, as illustrating a suitable construction of means adapted to insure such vertical reciprocation to the main and waste valves. Any other suitable valve operating mechanism which will give the vertical reciprocation may be employed in lieu of that shown in the aforesaid patent and I, therefore, do not restrict myself in any sense in respect to the details of the operative means for reciprocating said main and waste valves.

2 is the body of the shoe and is made flat on the bottom portion 4 thereof. The shoe is provided with a lateral tubular flange portion adapted for making connection with the supply main in the street. The upper portion 3a of the shoe is fianged and bolted to the flanged lower end of the stock I4 by bolts I3 and with a packing I2 interposed between the flanges. The upper opening in the shoe is screw threaded as at 6 into which the seat ring 5 is screwed, and said seat ring has its lower tapering seating portion 1 extended downward below the screw threaded portion and formed with a slight clearance 8v from the vertical wall 1a. At the upper end of the juncture 8 of the parts 1 and 1a, there is provided an annular groove extending part-way into the seat ring and part-way into the flanged end 3a of the shoe, the grooved portion S extending into the seat ring on three sides, whereas the groove I0 extending into the anged end of the shoe has its grooved portion formed of two annular surfaces at an angle to each other. When the seat ring 5.

is screwed down into the flanged end 3a of the shoe, the gasket II normally of rectangular or square shape is caused. to assume a different shape or that shown in Fig. 3 by co-action between the walls 9 and I0 of the annular groove. It is manifest that the inclined walls I0 formed in the upper flanged end 3a of the shoe provide a wedge action upon the lead or other gasket which causes it to be pressed tightly into the recess 9 in the seat ring, and in being so pressed the horizontal shoulder in the bottom of the groove forms an interlock with the gasket so that when the seat ring is unscrewed upward and removed, it carries with it the said gasket II. It will also be seen that while this gasket nts tightly into the undercut portion 9 of the seat ring portion, it fits the grooved portion I0 of the shoe in such a manner as to permit immediate separation therefrom upon screwing the seat ring. upward for removal. In other words, the gasket becomes firmly attached to the seat ring and readily detached from the upper flanged portions 3a` of the` shoe.

From Fig. 3, it will also be seen that the greatest diameter of the gasket in the seat ring 5 is equal to or less than the diameter of the threads 6 of the flanged portion 3a of the shoe, so that the gasket is in no way injured by removal and reinsertion of the seat ring.

I5 is the main valve and comprises an upper disk-like body I6 having formed integral therewith a downwardly extending tubular shaft portion I9, a series of leather disks forming a tapered leather seating element or packing I1 adapted in shape to t the beveled seat 1 of the seat ring 5, and a bottom annular plate I8 tting loosely over the tubular shaft I9 and clamped in position thereon by means of nut 2l and lock nut 22 screwed upon the threaded portion 20 of the tubular shaft. In this manner, the leather packing of the main valve may be tightly clamped together between the two metal parts I6 and I8. The operating shaft or valve rod 24 has a screw threaded end 25 which is screwed into the upper disk-like body I6 of the main valve and is pinned therein by a transverse pin 26 so that said shaft and valve piece move as a unit and without rotation.

23 are ports or passages from the space at the bottom of the stock I4 and downward and into the hollow tubular portion of the tubular shaft I9. The lower end of the tubular shaft I9 is made square as indicated at 38 and this is normally in sliding contact with the stationary upright bronze stud or post 39 which is screw threaded at its, bottom portion 39a into the base of the shoe. In this manner, the main valve and its operating stem or shaft 24 is permitted to have vertical movement but prevented from being rotated. The interior of the shoe and the bottom portion thereof is provided with a cylindrical casting 21a which is internally fitted with a bronze bushing 21 of tubular like form and preferably with outwardly curved upper and lower ends as shown. This tubular bushing 21 is pro-V vided about half way up with lateral drainage apertures 35, said apertures opening into an annular drainage chamber 36 formed between the castingv 21a and the annular bushing, the said annular drainage space 36 extending considerably above the aperture 35 and having a tubular drainagepassage 31 whose upper end opens into the upper portion of the annular space 36 and providing an outlet from said space at a considerable distance above the drainage aperture 35.

Surrounding the tubular shaft I9 and movable with it is a fluid tight piston 28, said piston forming an annular spacing circular body having clamped between said body and a washer plate 30 a cup shaped leather packing 3l. Similarly, at the bottom of the piston spacing circular body is arranged a downwardly extending leather cup packing 32 which is clamped in position by the clamping plate 33 and nuts 34 screwed upon the lower end of the tubular shaft I9. The cylindrical bushing 21 is axially in perfect alinement with the axis of the main valve so that it acts to positively guide the main valve and its attached piston axially of the valve seat.

The drainage water from the stock I4 of the hydrant iows by gravity through the orices 23 in the upper annular body part I5 of the main valve, said water flowing downward through the tubular shaft I9: and thence through the vertical passage 40 through the stud and out by the lateralY ports 4I into the cylinder 21 below the piston, ZBIAtherein. This drainage water rises in thaw'.

said cylinder 21 and passes outwardly through the lateral port 35 therein and thence through the annular space 36 and into the upper open end of the tubular drain passage 31, the upper end thereof being at the level of or somewhat higher than the lower cup shaped leather packing 32 of the piston 28. In this manner, the leather packing is maintained submerged in the waste water from the hydrant, and if, for any reason, the hydrant is out of use for a long period, the water in the lower part of the cylinder 21 will be retained at a level which will be above the said packing 32 and consequently keep it in a moist and pliable condition. It is also evident that if the hydrant is in connection with a source of water supply, the entire shoe would be filled and water would have access to the upper cupv shaped packing 3 I, and in that manner maintain the same in a pliable and workable condition.

In Fig. 4, I have shown the drainage outlet 23a passing laterally into the operating stem or shaft 24 and thence longitudinally downward into the tubular shaft I9 of the main valve, said drainage passage being alternative of the passages 23 shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. is shown a modication of the piston packing illustrated in Fig. 1. The annular'spacing block 28 substantially ts the diameter of the cylinder and is provided above and below it with annular packing rings 3 Ia and 32a which may be grooved at top and bottom so as to impart elasticity and freedom to radial expansion when subjected to axial pressure. As shown, plates or washers 30d are clamped in position above the rubber packing 3m, and similarly, a plate 33a is arranged below the spacing portion 28 and so as to apply pressure upon the rubber packing or gasket 32u, the parts being retained in their clamped position by means of nuts 34 screw threaded upon the lower outer end of the tubular shaft I9. The piston 28 being positively connected with the main valve I5 and spaced therefrom, said parts are each adapted to be subjected to the pressure of the water supply entering the shoe, said pressure operating upon the underside of the main valve I5 and upon the upper side of the piston 28. By reason of this construction, the main valve is substantially counter-balanced by the piston 28 and greatly reduces the amount of effort required to open the main valve. The main valve is somewhat larger in diameter than the diameter of the piston 28 of the counter-balance and waste valve. While it is desirable to have some excess pressure to normally hold the main valve closed upon its seat, itis equally desirable that the excess pressure be reduced to an amount only sufficient to insure a tight valve and, at the same time, to`

be limited to such an extent that the counterbalance elect operates to reduce the power necessary to open the valve to a minimum. The counter-balance feature of my improvements, while being of the same nature as shown in my patent hereinbefore referred to, in association with other features of improvements, is important and insures desirable results over and above what is illustrated in my said previous patent. While the valve may be opened to any degree desired, its total movement is limited by the contacting between the under part of the annular plate I8 of the main valve and the upper rim of the cylindrical casting 21a and bushing 21 thereof.

Of course, the hydrant structure illustrated 5 and described herein may be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hydrant comprising a shoe, a stock, a main valve normally closing communication between the shoe and stock, and a stem connecting the said valve for operating the same, said l5 shoe having an upstanding cylindrical part, a piston operable in said cylindrical part and connected to said main valve by a tubular shaft, drain passages leading from the stock into the tubular shaft to permit drainage into the cylindrical part and below the piston when the main valve is closed, a packing member on the bottom of the piston, means for draining the water from the stock out of the shoe, and means for maintaining drain water in said cylindrical part in contact with said packing to keep same moist.

2. A hydrant comprising a shoe, `a stock, a main valve normally closing communication between the shoe and stock, and a stem connecting said valve for operating the same, said shoe having an upstanding cylindrical part and a bushing in same, a piston operable in said bushing and connected to said main valve by a tubular shaft, drain passages leading from the stock Y into the tubular shaft to permit drainage into 35 the bushing and below the piston, a packing member on the bottom of said piston, an annular chamber in said cylindrical part formed by said bushing, an opening in said bushing below the bottom of the piston when the main valve is closed and leading into said chamber, said chamber having its upper end above said packing, means for releasing drain water from said charnber, and means for maintaining water in said bushing in contact with said packing to keep same moist.

3. A hydrant comprising a shoe, a stock, a main valve normally closing communication between the shoe and stock, and a stem connecting said valve for operating the same, said shoe having an upstanding cylindrical part and a bushing in same, a piston operable in said bushing and connected to said main valve by a tubular shaft, drain passages leading from the stock into the tubular shaft to permit drainage into the bushing and below the piston, a packing member on the bottom of said piston, an annular chamber in said cylindrical part formed by said bushing, an opening in said bushing below the bottom of the piston when the main valve is closed and leading into said chamber, said chamber having its upper end above said packing, and a tube leading from said chamber to the outside of the shoe and having its upper end above the packing whereby water is maintained in said 35 bushing in contact with said packing to keep same moist.

HERBERT M. LOFTON. 

